KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL
General meeting
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Board of Directors/General Meeting
President Ed Royce convened the meeting at 8:31 AM
Those present: Ed Royce, Gaby Kidwell, Penny Lampkins, Tom Parkin,
Sharon Rooney, Sue Rocha, Cindy Thill, Margie Clack, Rich Olson, Ken
Stevens, Bob Robinson, Ken Delfino, Lloyd smith, Gordon Hancock,
Christine Hancock, , Robin Wyatt-Little.
Introductions were made.
Minutes: Motion to approve by Sharon Rooney. Christine Hancock – 2nd.
Unanimous approval.
Treasurer’s Report: Sharon Rooney reports the following balances:
Frazier Park - $49,500; Hungry Gulch - $75,000; Kennedy Meadows -
$29,425; Mt. Pinos -$20,000; Fire Mitigation Guide/State Farm -
$317.78; Operating Account - $865.48.
Sharon just paid the Property/Equipment Insurance Premium of $730.00,
an increase of $81.00 since last year’s premium. Motion to accept by
Robin Wyatt-Little. Penny Lampkins – 2nd. Unanimous approval.
GRANT REPORTS: Rich Olson
Kennedy Meadows – CWPP progressing nicely. (Ken Delfino will give
progress report.)
Hungry Gulch – Fuel break coming along well. Crews are working on
private property fuels compliance citations but will return ASAP.
Frazier Park – fuels reduction project progressing well. Mt. Pinos
CWPP grant is progressing.
Sequoia Crest/Alder Creek FSC – A letter has been received that the
original award has been increased but no written contract has been
received as yet. Rich is communicating with Cathy Brooks, Grants
Coordinator of the California FSC regarding the contract.
Frontier Trail – Application for continuing the fuels reduction/fire
break on the south side has not been awarded as yet. In a holding
pattern.
The Bodfish Canyon fuels reduction application is still in the grants
clearing house waiting to be selected for a grant award.
KENNEDY MEADOWS CWPP REPORT – Ken Delfino, Project Consultant
Ken began his preliminary project research in April 06, meeting with
representatives from BLM, CDF, Tulare County and USFS. He is very
complimentary about the level of cooperation he has experienced from
all these agencies. To date Ken has made three trips to Kennedy
Meadows, spending 5 days in June assessing fuel plots. There are 110
parcels with 62 parcels having been inspected thus far.
Ken describes the project area as unique with very little county
services readily available – “pretty much off the grid.” This makes
for a very unique fire problem.
Ken’s next progress report will be made at the September 21st FSC
meeting at which time all field work should be done. A draft of the
final report will be presented in October with an expected final CWPP
report in January 2007.
ROAD SIGNS – Cindy Thill, USFS
Due to fire season for Cindy and Jim Davis (on vacation) there has not
been much happening with the road sign project. There was discussion
regarding each sign placement requiring specific individuals
committing to the maintenance and changing of the seasonal signs. Jim
Davis has volunteered for one of the signs (Kern Canyon). Lloyd Smith
of the Walker Pass area has volunteered for that area’s sign. Gordon
and Christine Hancock would be willing to help with the South Lake
(Paul’s Place) area sign but it was agreed that it would be best if
someone in the immediate area would take on this responsibility as the
Hancock’s live in Bodfish. Ken Stevens reiterated that a gentleman,
Fred Zullo, from the Walker Basin area has volunteered to maintain a
sign in that area. While there has not been a plan to place a sign
there it was agreed this is a good idea and Cindy felt that the USFS
could construct four signs as opposed to the proposed original three.
Lloyd Smith will get in touch with Jim Davis regarding the sponsorship
proposal sent to SCE and amend the number of signs to four rather than
three. Attending issues regarding the signs were discussed i.e.
storing the seasonal signs when not in use. Sharon suggested that
possibly Cal Trans might have a storage facility. This will be
researched.
The original locations identified by Cindy and Scott Williams were
accepted and Cindy will begin the encroachment permit process. She
will need refinement of the construction details for these permit
applications.
CHIPPER PROJECT – the chipper report, in written form, states that the
season has been successful. Margaret Belz, Chair, feels that next year
will be even better with some refinement of the guidelines for chipper
day events.
SPEAKERS BUREAU – Robin Wyatt-Little
Robin reports that the speaker’s bureau has wrapped up the season with
a presentation on July 5th to KRVR with 30 in attendance. Captain
Dennis Monahan of KCFD presented the DVD and did an excellent job
facilitating the Q&A period following the presentation. Printed
educational materials were distributed. This wildfire awareness
DVD/program was given to the Lake Isabella/Bodfish POA; the KRV Rotary
Club; the KRV Exchange Club; the KRV Chamber of Commerce and the Kern
River Valley Revitalization Assn. The DVD and printed materials were
distributed at each of the presentations.
Robin requested more copies of the DVD. Ken Stevens said that Mt.
Pinos made 500 more DVD’s and he would send additional copies to the
KRV FSC.
Robin suggested that we try to refresh the educational component for
next wildfire awareness season. Perhaps getting the DVD on public
access TV channel in the KRV. Ken Stevens said that Tina Burke of the
Kern county Resource Management Agency is working on placing the DVD
and printed materials in a specified Wildfire Awareness Section of all
the Kern County Libraries.
PUBLICITY – Margie Clack
Ed Royce complimented Margie on the excellent FSC articles she has
submitted to the local newspapers.
Margie suggested that the FSC might want to attend the upcoming Town
Hall meeting on July 24th, 2PM and 6PM at the Lake Isabella Senior
Center. The purpose of this meeting, sponsored by Supervisor Jon
McQuiston, will be to discuss emergency plans in the KRV in the event
of a catastrophic dam failure.
KRVFSC Planning Strategy –Ed Royce
Discussion revolved around recruiting new members for the FSC i.e. KC
Parks, Cal Trans, SCE, Insurance and Realty businesses, Banks etc.
(see Chamber of Commerce notes.)
Other ideas were: Smaller versus larger group meetings; projects
require a volunteer labor force i.e. sign project and fire safe garden
project proposal; current members will try to bring two new people to
the next meeting; in order to recruit the FSC should have a list of
current and proposed projects so folks can volunteer for activities
they enjoy; keep the list manageable; the list will be developed to
include the Speaker’s Bureau, Sign Project, Chipper Days and proposed
Fire Safe Demonstration Garden. Robin and Ed will develop the list.
Following discussion Lloyd Smith moved that the KRV FSC join both the
Kern River Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Kernville Chamber of
Commerce. It was unanimously agreed that the benefits of networking
make this a worthwhile effort. Robin Wyatt-Little, 2nd. Unanimous.
Robin will contact the Kernville Chamber for an application. Robin
will also ask for an opportunity to give a FSC presentation to the
Kernville Chamber of Commerce. Agreed that a FSC representative should
attend the respective chamber meetings.
An annual KRV FSC operating budget of $4000.00 was suggested. This
will cover the insurance premiums, postage, office supplies,
bookkeeping services for taxes and 501c3 filings. Robin Wyatt-Little
made the motion to accept. Lloyd Smith, 2nd. Unanimous approval.
FUNDRAISING STRATEGY REPORT – Lloyd Smith
Lloyd reiterated the need for a sustaining funding base to cover
annual operating expenses. Because grant funding fluctuates, Lloyd
suggests an organized fund raising strategy as follows:
l. Letters sent to KRV business community providing the opportunity to
become sustaining FSC members through a $250 annual pledge for four
years. This fund raising effort would be Stage 1 and will be
accomplished within a three month time frame.
2. Stage 2 would be letters sent to various KRV property owners
associations providing them the opportunity to become sustaining
members through a $100 pledge per year for four years. It was pointed
out that there are several POA FSC members sitting on the Board and
that many POA’s have benefited from fuel reduction projects funded
through FSC grant projects. This fund raising effort would be
implemented in the early spring to coincide with wildfire awareness
season and the beginning of the Chipper Days events.
3. Stage 3 will consist of sending letters to KRV individuals,
providing them the opportunity of sustaining membership through an
annual $25.00 pledge for four years. This stage is not necessarily the
best option due to the expense of mass mailings. The FSC website could
provide information for individual donations.
Lloyd cautioned that the FSC should be prudent and not allow its
operating budget expenses to increase unbounded just because the funds
might be available.
Ken Stevens suggested that a KRV FSC power point be developed,
highlighting the history and accomplishments of our FSC which could be
used to facilitate our fund raising efforts.
Bob Robinson suggested that perhaps the Mojave Mountain RC&D might be
in a position to research funding to help the FSC with its operational
budget needs.
Rich Olson moved to accept the Fundraising Strategy as presented by
Lloyd Smith. Gordon Hancock, 2nd. Unanimous approval.
BLM REPORT – Sue Rocha
Sue Rocha asked the KRV FSC if it would consider amending the current
KRV CWPP to include the Kelso Valley area to facilitate future BLM
fuel reduction projects for wildfire mitigation purposes. There is
such a project in the early planning stages and Sue wanted to alert
the FSC to this possibility for the upcoming CWPP amendment process in
the fall of 2006. Rich Olson said that Sue should write the proposal
for submittal to the KRV FSC. Rich also mentioned that all suggested
amendments are determined on a case-by-case basis. It was agreed that
Sue’s request was appropriate for the CWPP amendment process.
Lloyd Smith also requested that the Walker Pass area be included in
the KRV FSC CWPP amendment process. Ed Royce asked Lloyd to write a
concept paper specific to the Walker Pass residential areas to be
included in his proposal for inclusion.
KCFD – Ken Stevens
Ken reports that the crews are busy with respective projects,
compliance citation work and fire season.
Property Owners Associations:
Greenhorn Mountain POA – Penny Lampkins, President of GMPOA reports
that their chipper day event(s) were hugely successful , filling six
green waste bins.
Squirrel Valley POA – Tom Parkin, our current SVPOA representative for
the FSC donated $300.00 to the operating fund account. Tom received a
rousing applause from his peers around the table. THANK YOU TOM!
Frontier Trail POA – Robin reports that Bill Dierck has the “to do”
list and will relay the message to the Board.
Motion to adjourn, Unanimous approval.
Ed Royce adjourned the meeting at 11:30 AM.
Respectfully submitted by: Robin Wyatt-Little, Secretary |